Magdalen

Magdalen has been making the headlines in the best possible way since its recent opening, and it is not difficult to see why. Starters of Jerusalem artichoke soup, hedgehog mushrooms and hazelnuts, smoked eel, beetroot and horseradish, or jellied rabbit with grain mustard and cornichons quickly reveal the true talents on the loose in the kitchens.

Main courses are not slow to pick up the challenge with roast rib of Hereford beef, fried potatoes and anchovy, for 2, a highly creditable fish stew made with gurnard, scallops, mussels and clams, or another dish for 2, the venison and trotter pie with hispi cabbage, all on offer on an ever changing menu.

Rum baba, marmalade and whisky ice cream, or custard tart, prunes and Armagnac might suggest that those on the production end might be focused in a certain direction, but lemon cheesecake and lemon sorbet is there for the abstainers, and the cheese board is a veritable symphony of the sort of offering cheese lovers most like to see, with Dorstone, Lincolnshire poacher and Stilton from Colston Basset amongst them.

A medium sized wine list represents a well travelled progression through most of the major regions in the world, several by the glass and some very handy half bottles.

This is a new opening that has all the appearance of one that will stay the course.